Caffeine lovers across America are taking their coffee orders to the next level.
Whether it’s three extra pumps of caramel or light ice with a caramel drizzle, the additions we make to our morning coffees are endless. However, some Americans are more likely to get creative with their orders than others, new research has found.
A study by Surety First asked 2,300 Americans to share their coffee orders to discover which states have the longest and shortest ones.
The results reveal that Alabama leads the nation, with people using nearly nine words on average to place their order. One in 10 Alabamians even has a coffee order longer than 16 words.
Louisiana comes in second, with an average of 8.3 words per order, followed closely by North Carolina and Georgia at 8.2 words. Florida also ranks near the top, with residents averaging 8.1 words to get their coffee just right.
Other states, meanwhile, keep their coffee orders simpler. Virginia has the shortest orders, with people using just 5.4 words on average. Ohio follows closely at 5.7 words, and Missouri averages 5.9 words per order. Colorado and Nebraska also rank among the states with the shortest coffee orders, with residents in each using an average of 6.1 words.
But what are the most popular coffee modifications? According to Surety First’s study, 56.8% of women and 47.2% of men surveyed ask for cream or milk in their coffee.
When it comes to added flavors, 33.9% of women and 16.7% of men request them in their coffee. Sugar is also a popular addition, with 25.9% of women and 26.6% of men including it in their orders. Meanwhile, 16.2% of women and 15.2% of men ask for an extra shot of espresso in their ideal cup.
Surety First shared the longest order recorded in the survey: an anonymous baby boomer woman from Oklahoma requested a “Venti iced Americano with 2 shots, light ice, extra coconut milk, line the cup sides and bottom with caramel drizzle and caramel crunch topping, and add extra caramel drizzle, caramel crunchies, and cinnamon on top.”
The survey also revealed Americans’ candid feelings about complex coffee orders. In Georgia, 42% of respondents admitted they’re annoyed by them — ironically, the state ranks fourth in the U.S. for the longest coffee orders. Louisiana, on the other hand, is more relaxed, with only 16% of people saying they’re bothered by long orders.
Some celebrities have also drawn attention for their elaborate coffee preferences. In 2023, actor Pedro Pascal shared his go-to Starbucks order with a fan: an iced quad espresso with extra ice and six shots of espresso.
Some celebrities have previously turned heads for their extensive coffee orders. Back in 2023, actor Pedro Pascal ran into a fan outside a Starbucks coffee outlet, where he revealed his go-to order: an iced quad espresso with extra ice and two more shots of espresso.
He later reflected on the moment during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in March, and joked that it was a “violating” experience for him.
“There’s so much context to why it has become six shots of espresso,” The Last of Us star explained. “It was always a quad but then I feel like the cups got bigger and, I don’t know, the shots got less strong. At some point, it became six. It was an incredibly private morning ritual that I never wanted anyone to know about.”